


It's Easier Than Hating

by BabyTheLady



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Draco is happy, F/F, F/M, Face Paint, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, Good Draco Malfoy, Hair Dyeing, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Magical Tattoos, POV Harry Potter, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Burn, Smart Draco Malfoy, draco spent time with muggles, just soft things, pastel draco, pet snake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:00:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23318758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabyTheLady/pseuds/BabyTheLady
Summary: Your classic Hogwarts Eighth Year with drarry, I'm not going to pretend I'm not basic.Harry's excited to go back to Hogwarts for another year, but this time without the weight of the wizarding world resting on his shoulders. But when he sees Malfoy again after the summer, he can hardly believe how much he's changed since the trial. He looks...Happier.=== ABANDONED. VERY SORRY <3 CHECK OUT MY OTHER STORY DOUBLE TROUBLE IF YOU LIKE DRARRY THO. LONGER CHAPTERS, BETTER STORYLINE. OKAT LUV YOU GOODBYE ===
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy & Pansy Parkinson & Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione & Neville & Luna & Draco & Pansy & Harry & Ron & Blaise, Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Luna Lovegood & Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood & Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood/Pansy Parkinson, Seamus Finnigan/Dean Thomas
Comments: 23
Kudos: 135





	1. Back to Hogwarts

**Author's Note:**

> Your classic Hogwarts Eighth Year with drarry, I'm not going to pretend I'm not basic.
> 
> Harry's excited to go back to Hogwarts for another year, but this time without the weight of the wizarding world resting on his shoulders. But when he sees Malfoy again after the summer, he can hardly believe how mcuh he's changed since the trial. He looks...Happier.
> 
> I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all the ideas, and the whole gosh darn book series are from J.K. Rowling's mind. Only this fic belongs to me. I hope you enjoy!

The rain dribbled down the window of the train, the glass fogging up in the cold. Hermione and Ron sat across from me, Ron having his head in her lap and Hermione having a book in one hand and Ron's hair in the other. I smiled at the domestic air of the scene, albeit a bit disgusted at it at the same time. If Ginny had come back for another year then that could've also been us. I frowned at the reminder that I was once again single and looked back out of the window of the train, losing myself in the constant pitter pattering of raindrops.

It had been a pretty big fight about coming back to Hogwarts, for all three of us. After Hermione had traveled to Australia to fix her parents with the help of a Healer, and had explained the situation to them after they remembered, they flipped out. They were so worried and scared for her and the danger she had put herself in that they nearly banned magic for her. She had to stay in Australia for another couple of days to console them, and then another couple of days to get them to agree to let her go back to Hogwarts for another year. They decided to stay in Australia for another couple of months to experience being out of the UK and she was happy with it f it meant that she could continue living in the wizarding world. She got off easy compared to Ron and I.

Molly was still torn up about Fred's death, as were most of the Weasley's but she was taking it the worst next to George. She was angry at Ron for leaving the family to go back to school, in a great show of non-Molly-ness, and almost demanded that he be there for everyone in the trying time to follow. I supported Ron in his decision, as I could hardly take the suffocating sadness in the slowly-being-rebuilt-Burrow. That's mostly what lead to me and Ginny's grand argument.

She, like her mother, was still very torn up about Fred, but still wanted to move on into the future to move past all the grief. She wanted me and Ron to take the Auror jobs that were readily waiting us at the Ministry before we even needed to take our exams. She wanted us to move in together away from the Burrow. She wanted more stability in the relationship. And worst of all, I think she wanted a family. She wanted so so much and I couldn't get in any input about how I wasn't ready. And worse of all, I still loved her, I still wanted all the stability and life together and a family down the line but I looked at her and couldn't. It wasn't right. She was expecting all these things from me, so stuck in what everyone else was expecting me to do, and I realised that she wasn't wanting me, she was wanting a saviour. The same saviour that had battled Voldemort, was going to become an Auror straight away to continue fighting the evil, was going to give to the poor, heal the sick, pose for magazine shoots, kiss babies, and still have all the time in the world to value her above all else, as everyone's favourite Golden Boy. And. I. Snapped.

I took out all my anger and frustration at her. I screamed and shouted at her. I ended it all then and there. I made her cry. I packed my bag the same night and spend the last week of summer at Grimmauld Place, tucked up in my room thinking about everything.

I realize now that I went completely over the line but I don't want to talk to her again for a while, and I'm happy staying away from all other Weasley's other than Ron and George. Ugh. Even in my head it feels wrong not to include Fred. I've tried putting on a brave face for everyone but I'm not as stable as everybody in the wizarding world thinks I am. I only hope that The Prophet doesn't catch word that their beloved Chosen One is actually tearing at the seams. I did all that I could in that one week in Grimmauld Place trying not to let the paper's catch word of me and Ginny's breakup. I can imagine the heading now:

'Beloved Chosen One Loses His Chosen One'

I snort out loud at that thought and attract a curious glance from Ron and Hermione. 

"Sorry just thought of something funny." They nod in understanding and Hermione smiles awkwardly at me. Since my blowing up at the Burrow they've been stepping on eggshells around me, treating me like a precious ornament they're afraid might shatter at any moment. I can understand the weariness but it doesn't mean I have to like it.

Something feels off about this train ride, but not in the usual 'oh right I'm an Eighth year with Seventh years and there's a distinct lack of First years' off feeling, but something that's different from the norm of train rides. We haven't been disturbed in our carriage, which is change I guess...I got it! Malfoy hasn't passed by out carriage to offer some entertaining bigotry or Slytherin's are awesome themed remark! It's a constant I didn't realize I missed but now I can't stop thinking about it. I wonder if Malfoy is even on the train? Is he coming back for Eighth year? Are any Slytherin's coming back? I spoke for him at his trial and saw that he was excused of all charges, but I would understand if he isn't. Draco Malfoy's always been an odd constant for the Hogwarts life, whether it be his biting insults and remarks, his actually challenging opposition in Quidditch, or his 'Evil' schemes, which turned out to actually be evil in Sixth year, he has always been around.  
"Hey, do you guys reckon Malfoy's coming back for Eighth year?" I asked the happy couple, who were so lost in romantic bliss that I almost felt guilty breaking it.

"Pardon Harry?" Mione asked after snapping out of her Ron filled vision.

"I asked if you think Malfoy's coming back to school this year?" I repeated. An odd expression filled her face as if she was trying not to smirk, and I felt scrutinsed by her gaze.

"Why the bloody hell d'you care abou' what that poncy blonde git's up to Harry?" Ron asked through his half asleep daze.

"I don't care about it!" I defended quickly, "I just thought it'd be kind of odd being in Hogwarts without him being a prat, tha's all."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Well I think he should've gone to Azkaban like the guilty toad he is. Least then we'd know whether to worry or not. If he isn't coming back, I say good riddance!" At that Hermione tsked but didn't add anything in disagreement. I felt oddly like defending Malfoy, but knew if I did then Ron would get mad at me, and Mione would looking at me like a puzzle she needed to solve, and I really can't take any more of that after Sixth year. So instead I shrugged and looked back out the window to the drizzle.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

From farther away, you could hardly tell the school had been damaged at all, which put me at a greater ease than I thought it would. Getting to learn in Hogwarts without the threat of Voldemort or the reminder of the losses faced hanging over my head was far too appealing to me. I believe that over the summer, Mcgonagall along with some other staff members and volunteers had set to work with repairment spells, and I'd heard from Neville and Luna, who'd helped with the rebuilding, that the castle practically built itself back up. Luna had compared it to a large puzzle that you only needed the pieces for and the castle helped with the rest. They hadn't mentioned anything about the room of requirement so I'd figured it really had been destroyed by Crabbe's fiendfyre, which was a grand shame because I had a feeling I'd need a place to go to be alone this year. 

By the time we got to the steps of the castle, the scars in the stone were a bit more obvious, but not as severe as I'd expected them to be. The castle looming above me was comforting for once instead of intimidating, and looked lovingly familiar. I could see most of the Eighth years by this point, and was pleased to find a couple of familiar faces. Neville and Luna were obviously here, talking with each other and pointing at the scars of the castle I expect they'd fixed, Susan Bones, Lavender Brown, Millicent Bulstrode, The Patil sisters, Seamus, who was having a piggyback on Dean's back, Goyle, and Parkinson and Zabini, who seemed to be looking around for someone while whispering to one another. There were a surprising amount of Eighth Years considering the circumstances, and I was happy to know that not too many had been affected by the war that badly, although there were still less than half the year in total.  
But still....no Malfoy?

I felt an odd twinge of disappointment at the revelation that he was nowhere to be seen. Probably just the want for things to go as normal as possible. I suppose you can't have everything.

McGonagall had come to the front of the steps and everyone instantly quietened down. I muffled a snicker at everyone's unfathomable respect for her, although deserved. If everyone didn't already appreciate and/or fear her, then the stories of her in the battle of Hogwarts ought to have done it.  
She cleared her throat and began. "My dear Hogwarts Students coming back for an Eighth year, I welcome you all again after a stressful yet productive summer. I have managed to repair all of the classrooms so everything shall go on as usual, although the staircases may be a tad bit...sensitive to many people at once so just be careful and alert. The uniforms will not apply to you as you can all make your own clothing decisions, and it seems a bit foolish to force you back into your school robes when so many of you are adults by now. As many of you might of heard I will be the new Headmistress, but a new teacher will take my place as Head Of Gryffindor house, and will work as a temporary Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, who you will call Miss Lou Freebush. Although that shouldn't concern many Gryffindors with the change of your head of house, as you will all be one large unit in the Eighth Year dormitories. If you have any problems feel free to speak to me about anything, as I will be recommending therapy and counselling to anyone who feels the need to ask as well. After the feast ends, you will all come to me so that I may lead you to your new quarters." And with that she opened up the doors and led us all into the Great Hall. 

The sorting ceremony commenced, and although they were so few in numbers, there was quite a bid of indecisiveness between houses. They were pretty evenly split between the them, though I noticed any first years who got put in Slytherin got very little applause, and even some booing from other houses, but was quickly shushed by McGonagall. I couldn't help but feel bad for them. One girl, Amy Gates, who was put into Slytherin started crying and saying that she didn't want to be evil, and had to be coaxed to the table by a Slytherin Prefect. 

After all the sorting had finished, McGonagall asked us all to sing the Hogwarts song to bring out some cheer into to new year and we all stood and yelled it. Dean and Seamus seemed to have managed to perfect saying every other word to what the other was saying, which caught a few laughs at the table at their version of finishing each other sentences. Everyone seemed to glow with mirth a bit after that, and even Amy Gates had managed to crack a wet smile. McGonagall then stood at her podium and announced "Let the feast...begin!" smiling like she'd always wanted to it. 

But before anyone could take a single bite of the food in front of them, the great Hall's doors slammed open to reveal none other than...Draco Malfoy?


	2. The Impostor Who Looks Like Malfoy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The return of Malfoy and what's been going on with him since the trial.

_After all the sorting had finished, McGonagall stood at her podium and announce "Let the feast...begin!" smiling like she'd always wanted to it. But before anyone could take a single bite of the food infornt of them, the great Hall's doors slammed open to reveal none other than...Draco Malfoy? ___

__"Hey, uh, sorry I'm late, I was late for the train and I'm still getting used to my new wand. My Apparition went a bit dodgy, so sorry for bursting through the doors like this," A sheepish look adorned his features as he addressed McGonagall, and just...Holy Shit. Holy Shit. Holy Fucking Shit. The more I looked at him, the more I confirmed to myself that I was going mental, because there's no way in Godric's name that the person who just walked through those door s was Draco Bleeding Middle Name Malfoy._ _

__This...impostor was dressed completely in muggle clothing other than the wand holster on their right arm above a-was that a leather jacket? Under the leather jacket was a low cut white shirt with a band logo on it for the...Backstreet Boys? I'd heard of them during my brief summers with the Dursley's, although Dudley never liked them much, and punched and called one of his friend who'd admitted they'd liked them a faggot. On the Malfoy-impersonator was a long winding tattoo of a snake on the left side of their neck down to, I presumed, their right pec. Their lower half consisted of tight high waisted denim jeans, a small black belt, and a pair of subdued pink converses. And to top the whole look of, the head was covered in artfully styled light pink hair, and about seven earrings on each ear, and that was just what I could see!_ _

__I knew I was gaping at this Malfoy look alike, but if it helps, at least half the great hall were as well, even some of the faculty. The only one who didn't seem to be so thrown off by this was McGonagall, who was smiling lightly in what seemed like amusement at the stranger._ _

__"That's quite alright Mr Malfoy. It's a pleasure to see you once again after what seems like quite a long summer. I'm glad to see that you took my advice underway. I will speak to you tonight to give an overview of your progress and the tasks you will be assigned. Now please go and sit at the Eighth year table, near the back, and feel free to ask your fellow Eighth years about anything I might've said in the speech you missed." And at that, he nodded and came over to our table._ _

__So this bloke WAS Malfoy?! That's it, I've finally gone crazy. Having the weight of the whole Wizarding World on my shoulders since I was eleven, nope. Being consistently held at wand point by batty DADA professors (except Remus, though he did nearly kill me too), not a chance. Having literal fucking VOLDEMORT live in my mind and terrorise me day and night, nah of course not. Draco Malfoy in a Backstreet Boys shirt is the thing that drives me to insanity. Merlin's beard I'll never get a damned break, will I? To take a page out of Ron's book, Bloody Hell._ _

__As he went to sit down, I couldn't help but notice that the only seat not taken was the one NEXT TO ME, with Parkinson on the seat over from that one. I quickly sent a pleading glance at Ron, praying to anyone with mercy that by some miracle he'd agree to swap with me. He caught my eyes, sent me a pitying look, and shook his head. Bloody ginger git._ _

__After another second I sensed a new presence next to me, but I refused to turn around, as I could still catch a glimpse of his bright pink hair in my peripheral. It really was quite distracting, feeling so out of place in the Great Hall, let alone on Malfoy of all people. An awkward silence had settled over the table as soon as Malfoy had settled down, and seemed to fester more and more as the time passed. I turned my body forward to catch a better glimpse at him , now facing Blaise Zabini, who was watching Malfoy's casual food piling with wry amusement, as if knowing a joke no one else did. Finally, after what felt like hours of silence, Parkinson spoke up._ _

__"What the Hell Draco?! Why didn't you tell me you were getting a makeover? Is this what you've been doing instead of replying to dutifully written letters you prick?!" She squealed at him, and I couldn't help but feel pity for him as I saw him grimace._ _

__"Sorry about that Pans. For the most of my summer I was spending time in the muggle world on a kind of 're-evaluation task' set by McGonagall. She wanted me to spend a bit of time living in the muggle world and learning about their culture, their technology, their food, to try, well y'know, knock all the pureblood bigoted stuff out of me before we had another Lucius on our hands." He shrugged as if it was the most normal explanation imaginable. At this point I, as well as many others on the table, had turned to fully face Malfoy in disbelief. For some reason, the image of Malfoy trying to live life in the muggle world and figure everything out entertained me tremendously, and I could barely cover up a snort after thinking about him trying to make sense of a television._ _

__I was brought out of my daze with Pansy's incredulous "IS THAT MUGGLE CLOTHING??!!!!!" nearly bursting the sound barrier. At this Malfoy's face lit up as he began to explain._ _

__"I always thought that muggle clothing was horrendous gathered from what I've seen the muggleborns wearing about Hogwarts, but it can actually be quite stylish if you know what goes together. Like, look at this. A LEATHER jacket! There's no reason for it to have so many zips and to be so shiny and black, but it is! The material serves little to no other purpose than looking nice and sleek. Just like you, Pansy dear," and he booped her on the nose, to which she snorted. "And that isn't even my favourite part! Their shirts have no buttons on them, you just put it on over your head and muss your hair with it, but they're much more comfortable. They have cool pictures on them, and they don't even move!" He addressed his Backstreet Boys masterpiece of a T-shirt with excitement I found oddly...endearing? No, that's not the word. It's merely happiness at Malfoy coming out from his bigoted ways._ _

__"I adore the 'jeans' as well," he continued, using quotation marks for 'jeans'. "They are just so many different types and colours, and they're far more comfortable compared to those horrid trousers I've been wearing. And to top it off, they go with almost anything! I'm never wearing anything else ever again! Oh, and shorts of course!"_ _

__"Woah woah woah now Drakey, you still haven't explained un, deux, et trois," Pansy continued pestering him, pointing to the tattoo, hair, and earrings in order with a french accent. At this point everyone on the table other than Ron, who was still muttering darkly, had forgotten about their food and was practically crawling over the table to listen into Malfoy's grand muggle adventures with obvious curiosity._ _

__"Oh those. Well, McGonagall first set me up with a squib called Mark Thomas to help me adjust, and I asked about different ways Muggle teenagers rebel against their parents, because I felt like cutting myself from my inheritance wouldn't do me any good, and if it were muggle, I could really get a reaction out of mother and Lucius. So he suggested the top three were getting a tattoo, piercing my ears many different ways, and dyeing my hair. I nearly laughed when he talked about the tattoo being disappointing to the family, and how ironic Lucius' views are, but I decided to get another one. This time I got it of a better snake, called Virgo." Pansy began tracing his neck tattoo in wonder and he chuckled. "It doesn't do the real Virgo true justice, I give it that," and pulled a fucking snake out of his wand holster._ _

__What the fuck. What the fuck. I...Just...What the fuck._ _

__I...What the fuck._ _

__If Malfoy keeps going with these surprises my mind is going to compress in on itself in shock._ _

__The snake was quite small and delicate looking, with emerald green patterns snaking up it's body. Pfffft. Snaking. High five to me._ _

__Anyway, it matched the tattoo on Malfoy almost completely, but I found myself agreeing with Malfoy in the sense that the real snake was far more beautiful than the tattoo could ever portray it to be. I seemed to be leaning my hand towards the snake in wonder to pet it before I knew what I was doing and slowly stroked it down it's head. It focused it's beady little eyes on and hissed quietly in what I assumed was the snake version of purring. Malfoy looked at me in a brief moment of shock as if he'd forgotten I was even here._ _

__"Oh, uh, hello there Potter," he greeted in what seemed like a nervous tone before straightening his back. "Good to see you again. I believe Virgo likes your company. Can't be surprised, with your incredible history with serpents," and he flashed me a toothy smirk. I snorted at the implication, thinking of all my bias against the Slytherins paired with my many encounters with snakes, from the snake from the zoo the summer before Hogwarts, the snake Malfoy summoned in Second year, Nagini, even the Basalisk, and smiled back wryly. He began unlooping the snake 'Virgo' from around where she'd coiled on his wrist and passed her over to me. "Do you mind holding her for a minute, I need to continue my discussion with Pansy, and Pansy isn't one for small animals." I nodded in agreement and slight bewilderment at his immediate trust in me looking after his pet and outstretched my hands reading for the snake. He very gently and carefully placed her into my cupped and hands and she hissed a greeting at the new territory and began slithering as Malfoy turned back around to talk with Pansy about his hair dye and piercing escapades._ _

__Virgo looked at me and I saw her little tongue dart out and tickle my arm. She then proceeded to crawl up my hand and up inside my sleeve. I tired my best not to shudder at the strange sensation as she slithered up my arm, round the back of my neck, and down my hoodie sleeve on the other side. I giggled at the tickling sensation she gave off as she curled herself around my other hand. She looked at me and her neck lifted off my hand as she hissed at me almost...conversationally. It was the first time since Voldemort had died that I'd wished I still had the ability to talk to snakes. Instead of replying like I wish I could, I simply pet her head with my finger, being as careful and delicate as possible._ _

__It was at this point that Ron decided to crush the easy atmosphere that had enveloped the table._ _

__"You're kidding me right?"_ _

__Everyone turned from where they were eagerly listening into how Malfoy had a brought enough hair dye to school to last everyone in the Great Hall for a month to Ron as he stood up in indignation._ _

__Hermione was still sitting, trying to coax him into sitting back down, but he was having none of it, his eyes fixed onto Malfoy with a burning hatred._ _

__"Can I help you Weasley?" Malfoy asked in a cold voice, his face going into a neutral mask other than the one quirked eyebrow._ _

__"Yeah sure, if you could care to explain what the fuck's going on," Ron growled in response._ _

__"I...beg your pardon?"_ _

__"So you come back to school looking like a hippie, with your strange exotic pets and dyed hair, and you expect everyone to just forget about what a prick you've been since First year, is that it? That everyone's just going to forgive you because you spent a summer in the muggle world and pierced your ear?"_ _

__"What's a hippie?" I snorted at Malfoy's response to Ron's little rant and covered it up with a cough, as I saw Hermione do as well. We made eye contact and made a silent agreement to just see it through until it got violent._ _

__"You're a Death Eater Malfoy, in case you've already forgotten after Harry helped the Wizengamot pardon you, and that's all you'll ever be. You've been a prick all the up through school, and I don't see how coming back to school looking like a faggot is going to change that." And that got a damn reaction. I saw Malfoy flinch at the word 'Faggot' and narrow his eyes at Ron in obvious offence, while Hermione gasped and many people around the table looked shocked and offended._ _

__"I believe I have to let you know Weasley, that I am very sorry for my previous transgressions and childish bigoted nature. I am trying my best to reverse what I've learnt from Lucius, and am very thankful to Potter and McGonagall for granting me that chance. With that said, I don't see what's wrong with looking like a 'Faggot', Weasel, and if you have a problem with it, you can take it up with Finnigan and Thomas, who both look ready to tear your eyes out," I turned towards where they were sat, and sure enough, Dean was holding back Seamus by holding him to his chest on his lap, still glaring daggers at Ron in a joint effort to cut him to pieces_ _

__"And that reminds me of something I found out, did you know that in the muggle world they have this thing called 'Pride Month' where they spend an entire month celebrating what I think is called the LGBC community..."_ _

__"The LGBT community actually Malfoy," Hermione helped by correcting him, holding Ron by the back of hoodie after quietly scolding him._ _

__"Oh yes, the LGBT community, thank you Granger. And they have this large festival at some point in June, and my squib friend Mark said that it's ever so fun, and that he went every year with his boyfriend. Ooh Pansy, tell me you'll go with me next year, I hear that they have stalls full of muggle foods and a lot of striped flags everywhere, and you can get things like face-paint and balloons, and you need to dress as bright as possible!" He looked so excited about it and I smiled in amusement. As weird as this new Malfoy was, I wouldn't trade it for the old one any day._ _

__At this point the feast seemed to be coming to a close. I focused my attention back to handing Virgo back to Malfoy, in which he awarded me another one of his award winning smiles and started cooing at the snake that was back around his wrist._ _

__McGonagall stood back at the podium and directed some prefects from other years to lead the First years towards their dormitories. The other years were led out one after the other until only the Eighth years were left. McGonagall seemed otherwise occupied with that crying First year Amy Gates, and we we were all just standing idly about waiting to be led to the new dormitories. Mcgonagall noticed us all wandering about and called another teacher I'd never seen before over to her and whispered something to her while comforting Amy._ _

__The new teacher came over to us then with a million dollar smile on her face and it was only then that I could get a good look at her. She had that Baywatch look of a blonde beach babe down to a T, and had a shirt which did a rather terrible job of preserving her modesty, as it didn't seem to be doing a whole lot to stop her, uh, breasts from practically falling out of it. Her skirt was a couple inches shorter than I thought to be necessary, and her little black heels only added to her strut. She was, for all purposes, a walking wet dream. I could hear Pansy muttering to Malfoy darkly and could hear as he laughed and muttered back to her.  
"So Headmistress McGonagall is a little busy for the moment, so I will be taking you to your Eighth year dormitories. I will be your DADA teacher as well, and you can call me Miss Lou Freebush. Please all follow me." She spoke in a bubbly, happy voice, and after tossing her long blonde hair over one shoulder she flounced off in front off us to lead us to the dorms._ _

__I could see Ron gaping at her from behind, and saw Hermione give him a firm hit to the back of the head to which he blushed in embarrassment and curled an arm around Mione's waist. She rolled her eyes but grinned at him and there was the moment that I was no longer a part of this trio. I rolled my eyes as well and walked in front of them to avoid their lovey-dovey-ness._ _

__Miss Lou Freebush continued to lead us around the castle, until we'd made it to a point I didn't recognize. I mentally shrugged and accepted it as a new build on par with the repairs and continued to follow until we'd made it to a large doorway with the carving of a dragon in the middle of it. Miss stepped into the center and spoke clearly "Aperta Sesamae," to which the dragon carving flew in a circle around the door and slowly split in two and opened outward. She then turned towards us._ _

__"This room you see before you is the common room. To the left there is a kitchen that you may fill with whatever you'd like, and a first aid base incase a minor injury takes place, to avoid multiple trips to Madame Pomfrey. To the right up the staircase there are many dormitories, separated into groups of two. Unfortunately the groups have already been decided, and your names will be on the doors, though I doubt you'll have much to complain about. All of the rooms are en-suites, and your schedules will be lying on your respective beds. The password will be changed by yourselves each week and will be kept clean. Tomorrow will be a free day for the Eighth years, so feel free to explore the castle. Goodnight everyone, see you in DADA," she gave a little wave, and flounced off the way we came._ _

__Everyone slowly began lugging their cases into the room and up the right staircase towards the bedrooms. I scanned the doors for their names and was amused to see that both couples were going to be together. I hoped the rooms had automatic silencing charms. Ew._ _

__I went down the corridor scanning the names and finally came up to the last room, but nearly dropped my bags when I saw the names._ _

__Harry Potter and _Draco Malfoy.__ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah that was chapter two I hope you enjoyed it! By the way the password for the door was just 'Open Sesame' in Latin if you were wondering. I hope I can update ASAP so leave a comment and a kudo if you liked it and want to continue reading. Until next time, ba bye!


	3. The First Night Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How the boys are handling sharing a room.

_I went down the corridor scanning the names and finally came up to the last room, but nearly dropped my bags when I saw the names._

_Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy._

"What the fuck?!" 

I was frozen in disbelief. In shock. In befuddlement. I was fucking confused. Why were we rooming together? There had to be some mistake. While I was having my internal (and probably external) panic, I saw Malfoy walking up to the end of the hallway where I was. 

At least, I assumed it was him, since he was so covered in his own luggage I could only make out the tips of his hair.

"Well, what are you doing near my room, Potter? And please move to the side a bit so I don't bury you in my luggage. I don't think it would be the ideal way to go after all you've been through, don't you think Chosen One?" I nodded dumbly an stepped closer to the wall as he examined the door names.

"What the fuck?!"

A near perfect mimic to mine came from the pile of bags taken human form in front of me. I nodded dumbly again in agreement, although he probably couldn't see me. Without further ado, a leg shot out of the pile and kicked the door open, and immediately all of the bags were tossed towards one of beds, which he then promptly sat on, looked at me through the doorway, and sighed.

"Potter, to be as frank as possible, I have no sodding clue why we are paired up together to share a room. Believe it or not, I am not as thrilled as I appear to be to share a room with the Golden Boy, but never the less, I am tired. So you can either room as a three with someone else, or you can come in here to sort something else out. Your arm looks like it's being pulled out of it's socket by your bag by the way, and it's rather disconcerting witnessing the skinny little twig hold it up, so I would recommend coming in." He explained calmly, a mix between a smile and a grimace on his face, a ghost of a sneer behind it all, as if he were holding it back. I scowled at the comment about my arm, but begrudgingly walked into the room and placed my bags on the bed opposite Malfoy's, turning to look at him while crossing my legs under me.

"So what now?"

"Well I don't know about you Potter, but I need to be absolutely A-okay, 100% on board with anything that goes on in Hogwarts or else the Ministry will have my head, so I literally cannot complain. But if you have any problems, you could just ask McGonagall for another room, or an extended room with another pair. You can do anything you want, you are Harry Potter, remember." He began playing with Virgo when the subject of the Ministry came up, as if a nervous tick. I scowled again at his comments about my status, already getting sick of them, but thought over my options.

I suppose I could ask McGonagall for another room, but I didn't really feel like whining unnecessarily to her, especially since she already had a lot on her plate trying to restart Hogwarts after all that has happened. I considered charming another room for three people, but then I remembered that most people were coupling up, and I internally grimaced at the thought of having to either endure the sexual tension, or trying to sleep while they shag. I sighed in resignation as I realised that my best option was just staying with Malfoy.

"I'll just stay here Malfoy, on one condition. I call for a truce." I walked over to him.

"Aw no, and here I was looking so forward to hexing you into oblivion. It's what I've been looking forward to all summer." He smirked at me, folding his arms. "I also have one condition."

"Fine, what is it?" I rolled my eyes.

"No complaints about hair dye in the bathroom. I have a shit ton of this stuff and plan on using all of it, and trust me, it's messy." I snorted in surprise at the request and nodded my head. 

"Sure, whatever Malfoy.Truce?" I held out my hand to shake, suddenly taken back to first year on the steps of Hogwarts.

"Wow, I am getting a serious sense of deja vu right now," he chuckled. "Wait wait wait, let me just quickly-" He turned away from me to fess up his hair, and then quickly transfigured a small lamp into a...pair of glasses? He put those on, then turned to me and said in what must have been the most annoying voice he could muster.

"I think I can tell the who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks."

I started snickering, and then I started laughing as he pushed the glasses further up his pointy nose. He looked so fucking ridiculous, and the skit was just so salty and Malfoy that I found myself wheezing for breath. 

"How did you remember it word for word?" I asked through my wheezes. He smirked and took of the glasses, Transfiguring them back into a lamp.

"Oh Potter, you've no idea how long I've wanted to do that." He tried to organise his hair back to the apparent mop I had.

"I remember it pretty well since it was my first day of Hogwarts and it was one of the first times I'd stood up for myself. Didn't you blush bright red when you were rejected?" I teased, watching as a blush spread down from high on his cheek bones as he scowled playfully.

"Malfoy's don't blush, Potter, and what was that about a truce?" I held out my hand and he shook it firmly.

"I might as well have, I didn't want your father to hear about this, did I?" I carried on teasing lightly. He groaned and hid his face in his hands as he leant back onto his bed.

"Don't remind me of that Potter, please don't remind me of my unwavering adoration for Lucius."

"Eh it's better than being turned into a Ferret I suppose."

He gasped at me dramatically. "You shall NOT bring that event up in or out of my presence ever again, you hear me. That was a hallucination nothing more. A dream, a nightmare, it didn't happen. Never." I laughed at his denial and relaxed into the comfy atmosphere that was in the room. "Or at least, don't bring it up unless you want me to bring up your Sixth year stalking." He continued and I could feel my face heating up.

"I was not stalking you!"

"Uh huh, sure, and I'm the Queen of England. You're not as quiet as you like to think you are Potter, that invisibility cloak doesn't cover up sound you know." He said conversationally. By this point my face must have been bright red as I pouted.

"Well what was I supposed to do? You were acting suspicious, and in the end you were up to something!" I pointed out.

"Yeah, but come on Potter. Following a bloke into the bathroom randomly with no context? You were lucky I was crying Potter, what if I walked into the bathroom to just take a piss, or worse, wank? You would have followed me in regardless." I didn't know if it was possible to blush harder when Malfoy mentioned wanking. I don't know why, but the mention of sex and the like just makes me really uncomfortable. 

He started snickering at my bright red face. 

"Calm yourself Potter. Besides, it's probably time for bed. I'm absolutely exhausted, for one," and he began swishing his wand about to unpack all of his bags, Virgo resting on his unarmed arm. I agreed with the decision, and began to unpack my things aswell.

He started to make sounds of displeasure while struggling to unpack one of his bags, muttering what sounded like "stupid fucking stick of a wand". It's then that I remembered. 

"Hold on a second Malfoy." I began searching through my case of school things and parchment, while finally finding a rectangular narrow box. I opened it up and revealed it to a confused Malfoy. "Ta-da!"

He gasped and snatched up the wand quickly, as if I was going to take away the box at any second. Wordlessly he tried a charm to unpack his case. It happened fluidly and naturally, his clothes flying to the racks and drawers in the wardrobe provided. He grinned at me, his pearly whites shining. 

"Thank you for my wand back Potter." He embraced me tightly and I could barely process it before he was stepping away with a pink tint high on his cheekbones. Without any further context, he wordlessly waved his wand and all of his bags sorted themselves at once, some items rushing across the room into the bathroom, into and onto the desk, the wardrobe, under the bed. A set of glow in the dark stars had stuck themselves to his half of the ceiling, and while this all was happening, he'd managed to change out of his clothes and into a pair of silk pyjamas, a bright grin still on his face. I grinned as well, resuming my unpacking until I was at a similar stage to Malfoy.

He walked over from where he'd spent the last half an hour in the bathroom with a plastic wrap over his head which I assumed contained another kind of hair dye, and lay down on his bed, wordlessly turning the lights off. The stars above his bed glowed softly, the light ebbing around the room comfortingly.

"Night Potter."

"Night Malfoy."  
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////  
_"You've let us down Harry." I heard a voice mutter as I found myself sinking into black tar. I looked up to where the voice was coming from and saw Hermione and Ron._

_"You've let us all down." More voices were speaking in unison with them. Suddenly I was face to face with Lupin, with Tonks, with Dumbledore, with Snape, with Fred, Moody, Dobby, Cedric, Sirius, Lavender, Colin, every unnamed face who'd died for me. Their heads began circling around me, chanting "You let us all die" until they were screaming it, but they didn't stop. while everyone was screaming at me Hermione and Ron came over to me and floated above me, looking down on me._

_**"Now it's your turn to suffer Harry."** _

_I was being pulled down into the tar, submerging and being unable to breath in the murky darkness. Then things started to form and take shape, and I found myself in my old cupboard at the Dursley's, rattling with Dudley's stomps on the stairs. It continued to shake and shake and shake and-_

"For Merlin's sake Potter wake up!" 

I sat up with a scream caught in my throat and my heart beating wildly, my breath escaping me and I couldn't breath and everything was blurry so I couldn't see and I'm useless I can't even see or breath properly I let them all down they're better off without me I shouldn't be here but I am and I'm suffocating on my bed while Malfoy's talking to me but I can't do anything right-wait Malfoy? 

A blurry figure with really soft hands carefully puts my glasses on my face. I take a second to take in my surrounding's and see Malfoy sitting at the edge of my bed with wild eyes and mussed black hair, his hand on my knee. He's staring at me intently and his mouth is moving and he's making words and talking to me and-

"Just breath Potter, focus on your breathing. I want you to try an breath in for two seconds, and out for two seconds. After that try three. Just keep a steady pace. Try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, like this," he demonstrated for me, his voice even and calm, his touch soft like I was a china doll. So I focus on breathing. I tentatively put m hand on his heart in an attempt to mimic his heartbeat, and he thankfully doesn't react to it, other than a flicker of his eyebrow. His mantra about breathing continues in the back of my head as I start to come back to the room. As soon as my breathing resumes normally, I turn to him awkwardly.

"Are you feeling better Potter?" His voice was soft and his eyes were kind and I could hardly take him in as Malfoy, especially with the newly dyed black hair. I nodded shyly and he gave a small but calm smile. "You were yelling and thrashing in your sleep so I thought I'd better wake you up. Do you want to talk about it?" My eyes widened and I shook my head as no. "Okay, that's fine. Do you need anything else?" I shook my head again. He got up off my bed to walk toward his bed and I noticed how dark my side of the room is. Dark like tar. Dark like the cupboard.

"Wait, Malfoy." He turned back to me questioningly. I looked down nervously as the duvet. "Could you uh, well um do you...happen to uh, it's fine if you don't but um," I took a breath to stop rambling. "Do you have any more of those glow in the dark stars?" I asked quietly. His eyes widened in realization, and he grabbed his wand and muttered "Stellae lignum." 

Immediately stars of all different sizes filled the ceiling above my bed, now having more than Malfoy did previously. I mumbled a "thanks" and watched as he nodded and returned back to bed. 

I stared up at the stars as a comfort and felt myself drifting away again, the soft blue light blurring as my eyes began to close shut once more to fall asleep.

And to my surprise, it was easier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this little installment to the story which I literally wrote at midnight because of a comment I saw from a reader called Sarah. Thanks for giving me the drive to get off of my keister and write another chapter, I love doing this. Please leave comments and kudos if you enjoyed, and any constructive criticisms and ideas are welcome. I'd love to know any ideas you could have because I'm playing it by ear and just want to keep this easy going. See you next time, I will hopefully update soon. Keep strong in quarantine my amigos!


	4. The Appalling Grey Shirt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> what on earth is in your closet Potter?

I woke up to clear vision, and in my sleep inebriated state, I thought that I'd regained my vision completely. Then I realized I was wearing my glasses and the illusion of being healed was shattered, giving me a disappointing start to my day.

Everything from the night before returned to me at once, and I looked up at the ceiling from my bed to see the faded stars stuck on, looking dull in the daylight than shone through a window. I looked over to Malfoy's bed to find it empty yet immaculate, as if no one had ever touched it before. 

His half of the room was as tidy and immaculate as he seemed to be, a place for everything, and everything in it's place. This made my side of the room look even more like a pigsty, and I was almost embarrassed. 

I could hear some humming come from the bathroom, and I got out of bed to see what Malfoy was doing.

As I entered the bathroom, everything seemed to be happening at once. Malfoy was really getting a use from his wand, enchanting a razor to shave his face, a hairdryer to dry his newly dyed black locks, a pencil was putting eyeliner on the top of his eyes, and a towel was scrubbing away at some black residue left in the sink. While all this was happening, Malfoy was focused on brushing the knots out of his hair while it was being dried, quietly singing something while a pair of white earphones attached to a small white box hung from his ears. It was quite an odd picture, and I tried to keep my vision to his neck up, ignoring his half shirtlessness the best I could. 

His eyes drifted from his own reflection to be locked on mine. His eyes widened partially, but other than that his face kept a perfect neutral mask. He picked up his wand and muttered "Finite Incantatem", and all the items which were active gently floated back onto the counter. He pulled out his earphones before turning the music off, so I could hear a gentle "Ain't nothing but a heart break..." before he put them away. 

He edged around me to get out of the bathroom, a murmered "Good morning Potter," passing through his lips before he went over to his side of the room to get changed. I nodded back and made it into the bathroom, trying to ignore his uncovered chest the best I could.

\--------------------------------------------

After my shower I went to go get dressed and could see Malfoy filling up a satchel with multiple books. Virgo was wound loosely around his shoulders, slithering round and down one arm before resting on top of his wand holster. Today he was wearing a dark grey hoodie and a pair of ripped black jeans. His shoes were the same pair of pink converse he'd worn yesterday, and he had a plethora of silver earrings on, to contrast with his new black hair. Now that I was looking at him properly, I had to admit that the new black hair definitely didn't suit him. Or maybe it was my being used to him having pale hair all these years that I'd gotten used to his overall lack of colour. Palest skin, platinum blonde hair and grey eyes. 

Taking my eyes off him, I went over to my wardrobe to pick out an outfit. I grimaced slightly while looking at the ugly small pickings. Even after everything, I was still scrawny enough to fit into some of Dudley's old clothes, sometimes to the point where they could still hang off of me. I picked out a red shirt that was nearly sliding off my shoulder and a pair of grey joggers, taking advantage of the new ability to wear casual clothing around the castle. I put on a pair of black trainers and grabbed my hoodie from where it was curled up in the corner of the wardrobe.

I turned back around to Malfoy to see him looking at me in disgust. 

"What the bloody hell are you wearing Potter? That shirt has a blasted hole in it!" He points at Dudley's clothing. I take a closer look at the shirt, and sure enough, it had a small hole near it's frayed hem. 

"Now I'd hate to have to fix such a lousy garment for you Potter, but I honestly doubt you have anything better." He said as he started swishing his wand at me in rapid succession. As he did so, the hole began fixing itself, and the shirt began to tailor itself to fit me more accurately while the frayed hem corrected itself. While I was looking down at what was happening, Malfoy had walked over my closet to check out my large plethora of gorgeous clothing, and was now addressing his comically disgusted expression to the shirt that he was holding up. 

The shirt being judged happened to be one of my oldest Dudley owned T-shirts, and after years of use was now faded, stained, full of holes and horrendously wrinkled. It might have even been the shirt I wore to defeat Voldemort.

In short, the shirt was a mess.

"What in Heavens name has happened to this shirt Potter. What did it ever do to you for you to feel the need to wear this day in day out, and for you to not to take it out of its misery?" He continued to ruffle through my clothing.

"Salazar Potter, I knew that your fashion sense was appalling, but really now. There is nothing good in your entire closet!" He exclaimed dramatically, holding Dudder's old grey shirt by his finger tips with an outstretched arm. while giving my closet another sneer. "Since we have a truce Potter, there is a chance that we'd be seen together around the castle, and there is no way I am being seen near someone with such an appalling choice of clothing. Which is why today I will be taking you into Hogsmeade to try and get you a new wardrobe that isn't as distasteful." I opened my mouth to protest but was silenced by him throwing the disgusting grey shirt onto my face, blinding me. 

"I was going to study in the library to catch up, but it seems my talents are needed elsewhere. Your welcome Potter, for my courteous nature in helping the less fortunate. I'll even have to use glamours to disguise myself, all in order to help you. You better be grateful, you realize," He started emptying all the books from his satchel and instead put in a satchel of money. 

"You really don't have to Malfoy, I'm okay with my clothing, there's no reason for me to waste any money." I tried insisting that it really wasn't worth it, but he blocked me out and immediately started charming his face. Before I could stop him further, he'd already given himself a softer chin, freckles, and light brown eyes in a look that honestly suited the black hair much more. I could barely recognize him, as he had turned into a completely different person. Which I guess was the point.

"Potter, do shut up. I am trying to be a good person, and as usual, you are making it difficult. And please, when we get to Hogsmeade, do not call me Malfoy. Call me . . .Tom or something. I've been out of the public's eye for a while now, and don't plan on hopping back into it. So I beg of you, don't be an idiotic Gryffindor and waste what is a fantastic disguise." His poncy voice still rang true and Malfoy, and I nodded in agreement with him.

"Okay, whatever "Tom", if you insist. But I've gotta tell Ron and Hermione before we leave so they'll know where I am." I said in resignation at the fact that I probably wouldn't be able to change his mind. I grabbed my satchel and put my pouch coins inside it, counting up about 15 Galleons, as that should surely be more than enough for a shopping trip and lunch in Hogsmeade. 

By this point it was about 10 o'clock, so we could hear some people discussing plans out in the hallway. We came out of the door as some sort of weird double act, both sporting messy black hair and hoodies, yet I still felt below the mark standing next to Malfoy, his stupid perfect posture and stupid unwrinkled clothes and stupid STUPID lack of eyebags. 

In the hallway I could see Dean and Seamus, Seamus who was wearing a suspiciously large maroon shirt which was slipping off of his shoulder, and Dean who was looking at him with adoration yet amusement. They seemed to have both only just woken up, Seamus leaning on Dean's tall frame in order to stop him from falling over from exhaustion and both looking like they were still wearing pajama bottoms. 

"Hiya Harry, how's it goin' mate?" Seamus asked me with an awkward one armed hug. 

I laughed. "Yeah I'm doing okay, although I'm being forced to buy a new wardrobe in Hogsmeade by Malfoy here," I answered, gesturing to where Mlafoy was stood awkwardly behind me. Seamus broke the embrace to gape at Malfoy.

"Hold on a minute, that lad's Malfoy? What's with the glamour and black hair?" Dean questioned confusedly.

"Well last night we both decided to let go of our ridiculous rivalry in favour of a truce, and since we're dorming together he got right down to judging my wardrobe, and unfortunately I agree that I need some new stuff, so he's coming with me to Hogsmeade. He doesn't feel like getting recognised though," I gave them both the short explanation. At this point Malfoy started playing with Virgo being wrapped around his hand, looking uncharacteristically awkward.  
"Look, uh, Finnegan and um, Thomas, I'd uh, like to apologise for my stupid behaviour in the past and if I ever, uh, targeted you specifically to bully or force my st-stupid prejudices onto," Malfoy forces out, locking his gaze onto the floor.

Dean and Seamus exchange a look, and with a nod, they face him again.

"Okay Malfoy, you're forgiven." Said person looks up at them in disbelief.

"Yeah, ain't any reason to keep before-war schoolboy grudges, is there? As long as you've stopped being such a ferret, you're okay in my books." Seamus smiled at Malfoy.

"Thank you Finnegan, Thomas," he returned a smile gratefully while Dean smirked.

"If we're going to be all buddy-buddy now, you can use our first names y'know Malfoy."

Malfoy smirked. "Okay then. Dean and Seamus, in that case you may call me Draco." 

"See you later then Draco," Seamus waved us away before dragging Dean down the stairs and into the empty common room and kitchen. 

"It was cool of you to apologise."

"Well I thought I'd start off small. Do you think it went okay?"

"Oh yeah, it went fine. But I hope you know that by being Seamus' friend you're going to get a load of flirting sent your way."

"Same as usual then?"

"Egotistical git."

"Better than being a Gryffindor with a savior complex."

We made our way out of the common room, thankfully without bumping into anyone else.

"Hey Malfoy."

"Ugh, what now Potter?"

"Can I call you Draco?"

"Not a chance Potter, you haven't earned it."

"How the fuck do I have to earn it?"

"Haven't decided yet."

"Poncy git."

"Blind stalker."

"Ferret face."

A feigned gasp. "You take that back!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait on this chapter and the shortness of it, I promise that I'm writing the next one and that it will be released within the next few days.  
> Please comment any ideas you might want in the story as I am very open to them!   
> I hope you enjoy and I hope you stay strong in quarantine my amigos!


	5. The Richest (and most oblivious) Man In Britain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco and Harry go shopping in Gladrags Wizardwear.

By the time we'd gotten to Hogsmeade it was 11 o'clock. The village was very quiet and the sky was cloudy. I looked over to "Tom", who had pulled the drawstring of his hood a little tighter, lowering his head slightly, eyes darting about. I smiled and tugged on his arm.

"C'mon Ma-Tom! You made me come all the way here out of your own snootiness, please tell me it wasn't all for nothing." He rolled his eyes at me and straightened his neck again.

"Well if you insist. You do really need my help. So, I believe we're going to...Gladrags Wizardwear? I heard that they've started selling muggle clothing, so you can still mantain your casual "style"." He replied sarcastically, using quotation marks. I snorted and shook my head.

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Gladrags Wizardwear, let's go." I tugged on his arm again and started walking ahead. 

He seemed hesitant to walk in at first, seeing a couple of people inside, seeming to have forgotten that he had a strong glamour on. I rolled my eyes and practically had to push him inside to continue the day. He dug his heels into the ground on impulse but I continued pushing him until we were at the back of the shop where copious amount of "muggle" clothing were held, seeming to be untouched. 

"Come on Tom, you now have your chance to fashion me up. Make me look...Fabulous." I jokingly posed which made him snort and roll his eyes.

"You'd need more than my help to look "Fabulous" Potter. Our goals for today are focused more on you not looking hideous. Starting with, pick out a shirt, and I shall judge accordingly." He bossed me about with enough of an ego to power the Hogwarts Express. Still, I listened to the git and began searching through the shirt racks.

"What do you think of this one?" I asked him, holding a plain and stretchy long sleeve orange shirt to my torso. He gagged in response.

"Don't even joke potter, you'd look like a pumpkin in that. Or since you're so spindly, maybe an old butternut squash. If you want a long sleeve shirt then at least don't act colour-blind." I shoved it back on the racks before he could get another comment in. I looked through them again and came across a dark green shirt, the exact same as the other previous shirt apart from the colouring. I held it up for Malfoy.

"What about this?"

He looked over to me boredly, having been shifting through a jean rack. He shrugged. "Looks okay, try it on in the booth." He jerked his thumb behind him to a curtain, which I guessed was the "booth".

After I put it on, I threw open the curtain to pose to my bored audience. As soon as he saw me awaiting comments, he started snickering.  
"As amusing as it is to see you wearing Slytherin colours, Potter, that's the wrong shade of green."

I quirked an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean, the wrong shade of green?"

"Well, if you were to wear green then it'd have to match those eyes that everyone's always going on about. And this is only dark green, and your eyes are emerald green, so it just looks tacky," he circled me like a shark. "And furthermore, this shirt isn't even your blasted size, it's far too big, and is practically falling off of one shoulder, even though this material is supposed to be form fitting. Let me check the size." And in an instant he was behind me, tugging at the back of the shirt for a label. 

I could feel his warm breath on the back of my neck due to the close proximity, and it sent unwanted goosebumps down my spine. As he was checking the label, one of his hands brushed my neck and I clenched my fist as a bad, awful feeling began to pool in my gut. It all happened in a matter of seconds before he pulled away.

"Well, the label isn't too specific, but it says that it's a large, so I'd guess that you're a medium, so you'd need something like..." He ruffled through a nearby rack having spotted something, "this!" He held up a smaller long sleeve green shirt. He shoved it into my chest. "Change into this instead." I took the garment and turned to walk back into the booth.

As I tried it on I noticed that it fitted me far nicer than any normal clothes ever had. I looked at myself in the crappy smudged mirror they provided and managed to make out that this colour did match my eyes way better. For one of the first times...ever, I felt like I looked good in something, and this was just a random shirt. I walked out of the booth to check what Malfoy thought.

When he saw me he smirked. "See that new clothes confidence you got there Potter? That's because of me and my great fashion skills. Now change and give the shirt here, we can put that in the basket." He shooed me back into the booth. 

And so it continued, me picking out clothing I like the look of, and Malfoy either changing the size, the style, the colour, or flat out replacing my option with something that he deamed "better to buy". It was tiring yet kind of fun to banter with someone who didn't have a filter, and to see Malfoy really shine at something he's good at. By the end of it all I'd collected 8 shirts, 3 hoodies, 4 pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of shorts, a new pair of joggers (much to Malfoy's chagrin), a denim jacket (much to Malfoy's delight), two pairs of shoes, and a set of dress robes. I detested having to buy dress robes, but ultimately gave in at Malfoy's insistence that there was probably going to be some sort of pretentious ball or dance this year, so it was better to get the clothing issue out of the way before everyone rushed to it. In the end I also got some more underwear (which Malfoy thankfully left me alone about) and a couple of pairs of gag socks that Gladrags was popular for. 

In the end when I looked at the pile of clothing I'd collected, and then at my wallet, I came to a stark realisation. 

There is no way I am going to be able to pay.

"Uh, Tom, we're going to have to put some of this back." I told Malfoy while sifting through the pile, in the middle of an internal debate of whether or not underwear is really necessary. 

"What do you mean, Potter?"

"There is no way I am going to be able to pay. I only have 15 Galleons in total, and I was planning on buying lunch."

He sighed a long suffering sigh, before digging into his satchel for a pouch. He began pouring some Galleons into his palm.

"Whatever price you come up short, I will pay for it."

"What!?" I yelled at him. "No way, you helped me enough, you don't need to pay for anything, this is my wardrobe. Besides, didn't the ministry take a load out of the Malfoy vaults?" I asked, remembering one of the punishments dealt out during the trail.

Malfoy smirked. "The ministry may have rooted through the Malfoy vaults, but they didn't go through mine." At my probably bewildered look, he began to explain, using his hands to gesture wildly as he went. "The summer after first year, Lucius was getting angry at me, not only for being beaten for seeker by Mister Harry Potter, but for coming second in the year to a Mud- to a Muggleborn." I smiled at his correction. "It was at this time that I feared a chance of being disowned. So I lettered Gringotts and asked for a new, secret vault to be opened under the name "Tom Richardson". Every month, an couple thousand Galleons would be filtered into Tom's vault from the Malfoy vault, enough for me to be safe and get by, but small enough to be undetected in the grand scheme of things. I'd thought that my disowning would happen sooner, but since it didn't the vault has ended up gaining about 250 thousand Galleons from the Malfoy vault." I gaped at him. "So Potter, in conclusion, I think that if I can afford to send my mother to France, I can afford to pay for your new wardrobe."

By the end of his spiel I was shocked. 250 thousand Galleons?! Even after the Malfoy's lost so much, hes still bloody rich!? On his own terms?! Because he was a sneaky brat when he was 12?! Fucking God, Malfoy is one confusing yet interesting twat. You can take the boy out of the manor, but you can’t take the manor...out of the boy...? Eh, a good enough metaphor.

"I don't know why you're so shocked Potter. You're probably the richest man in Britian, most likely more than the royal family." Malfoy commented

I cocked my head in confusion. "What do you mean I'm the richest man in Britain?" 

He stared at me.

"The Potter family riches ring any bells?" I thought back to my vault full of gold in Gringotts. Sure, it was a lot of money, but it didn’t have 250 thousand Galleons. So I said as much.

"Potter, that vault you saw was probably only your trust fund. You most likely have multiple far larger ones, to do with products the Potters created, or families they might have married into, not even including the Peverell fortune they inherited. Fleamont Potter, your paternal grandfather, started up various companies, and amongst them was Sleekeazy's Hair Care and Scalp Treament, which quadrupled the Potter wealth before he sold the business, thus tripling your family fortune yet again. Although, the Potters were very honest and kind in their businesses, so they didn't earn as much as they could have, and were subsequently poorer than the Malfoys.

"That then brings us to the fact that after Sirius Black died, you inherited the Black family fortune, who I believe were the richest of the Scared Twenty Eight. I would have inherited it, because my mother was Narcissa Malfoy née Black, but Sirius left it to you. The Blacks stole, they blackmarketed, they Muggle-baited, they manipulated, and they lied. So by pureblood terms, means that they were incredibly wealthy, possibly more so than the Malfoys. 

"And so in conclusion Potter," Malfoy titled his head with a tight smile, his face coming closer to mine. "YOU ARE THE RICHEST MAN IN ALL OF BRITAIN!" I was not expecting that exclamation. 

"How...how did you know all of that?" I asked him, slightly weirded out and at the same time getting a lot of Hermione vibes.

"Pureblood education is being able to known not only your own family history, but every important family's history by the age of 7." He recited with an eyeroll. "Now even though you're very very rich, you are also very very oblivious, so therefore since you don't have any of your riches with you, I am paying for your clothing. In fact..." He grabbed the pile of clothing and began to carry it towards the counter.

"Dammit no, let me pay!" I tried to run after him, but it was too late, the Galleons were on the desk.

"Here you go Potter," Malfoy handed me two large Gladrags Wizardwear shopping bags full of clothes with a big smirk. I scowled at him and snatched the bags away from him. "That's it Potter, accept some good old fashion help. How do you like it when people are nice to you for no good reason?" I have to admit that it's odd and I'm slightly thrown off. I stumble a little, the bags weighing down on my arms. "Come along, lets get out of here already, we've been in here for 2 hours. Let's go get some lunch." He grabbed my forearm and dragged me out of the doors, laughing a little as me and the bags got stuck on the way out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I was going to make this longerbut I will simply add on another chapter later on to try and give you more regular updates. If you would like me to post longer chapters with more waiting time, or are okay with the system I'm working with now, please let me know. If you have any ideas you'd like me to add in please let me know as I am open to suggestions. Stay safe in quarantine amigos, I hope ou're coping well, I send my best wishes to you my readers!


	6. Fantastic and Terrible Hair Alike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco go to buy some cosmetics and have some conversations.

We had a surprisingly peaceful lunch at The Three Broomsticks, with only two people recognising me and subsequently asking for an autograph. Which I then floundered at to the realisation that I don't really have a signature, and gave them each a pathetic scribble of my name. Malfoy was very amused. We'd had a discussion about calling him Tom, and he agreed to let me drop it as long as we weren't talking with someone else while in Hogsmeade. 

"Okay Potter, we've sorted your wardrobe, Now to deal with...the rest of it." He gestured to my face vaguely. I rolled my eyes but pulled down a lock of my hair over my eyes, grimacing at what a mess it was.

"Exactly Potter, the hair has to be handled. I say we go to Dervish and Banges for some Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, that bothersome barnet needs to be taken care of ASAP." I nodded along with this. "I'm also thinking we need to get you some Ursula's Facial Care; for spots and pores alike." I could feel my face heat up a little as Malfoy continued with the list. I brushed a hand gently over the top of my hairline where I had a couple of semi-noticeable spots, before Malfoy grabbed my hand and dragged it onto the table.

"Don't touch your face with your chip-greased fingers, it'll make the spots worse you brute!" He told me, aghast.

"Whatever, sorry, can you explain what we're going to get when we actually get there?" I asked him, wanting to get out of here. He flicked a loose lock of hair behind his ear.

"Okay then, we can leave the warmth." He agreed reluctantly, with a hint of a whine. I tried to get up to grab my satchel off of the edge of my seat when I realised that Malfoy was still grabbing my hand.

"Uh, Malfoy, do you mind letting g-" He yanked back his hand before I had the chance to finish my sentence and turned around to grab his own bag.

"Come on Potter, let's make you presentable." He began heading out the door.

"Wow, golly gee, presentable?! Aw shucks Malfoy, you sure do know how to compliment a gal!"

"Shut up Potter, before I hex your bollocks."

"But aw gee, Mr Malfoy, that ain't a nice thing to do to your makeover guinea pig."

"Quit it with the voice Potter, it sounds freaky!"

"Well shucks, I'm awful sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable at all, especially when you're being so nice to me, tryin' to make me look all presentable and whatnot."

"Salazar's bikini Potter, if you don't shut up with that fucking voice I will stab you in the back, cut your body into limbs and sections, and drop them off in a sack near the kitchens for the house elves to roast like a duck and serve for dinner."

"What is it with you Slytherin's and your weird swears and threats?"

"It's called improvising and being creative. Not all students get a new adventure or mystery to solve each year, so to entertain ourselves in the Slytherin common rooms we'd have competitions of who could make up the best insult, or threat, or who could collect the most abstract thing from one of the houses dormitories."

"Wow then, real party animals down in Slytherin."

"I'm proud to say we were. The immaculate presentation we maintained in the public eye was strangling, so when we had time to ourselves we could really let loose. Our truth or dare games could include stolen Vetiserum from Snape, there were many heists to steal alcohol from the kitchens so that we cold drown our sorrows or celebrate victory. The gossip and the blackmail was always fresh and ready on a silver platter thanks to Pansy, and we had unlimited access to the darkest hexes we wanted thanks to our Mansion's libraries." He said all this with a wistful look in his eye. Wow. I have to admit, I never really imagined much at all going on in the Slytherin dormitories. I thought they just studied or made evil schemes and plots together. I could never have imagined them playing something like truth or dare together, or gossiping away about trivial things.

"Baiting and bullying you always made for prime entertainment however," he continued. I looked at him questioningly, to which he shrugged.

"You were so easy to wind up, especially Weasley. It was just so fun trying to think up insults or schemes to bother you. Life was pretty boring at Hogwarts when you're not involved in the conspiracies and had finished with all your homework. I either studied a whole lot for the exams, or I sought you out to bully. It was especially boring during in Fourth year, when Quidditch was cancelled due to the tournament. Looking back, I think I was a little obsessed with you, and Pansy can definately vouch for that." My head snapped round to look at him surprised. He carried on, sounding as casual as all hell, but while sporting a faint blush. "I mean, the Potter Stinks badges?! Those were originally just me messing around with my free time during charms, but it took real time and effort to charm and make allllll of them. Time that probably could have been spent doing something more useful. But I was determined. I kept thinking 'This'll show Potter' even though you hadn't really done anything. I was just mad at you for getting more attention than me, and for not paying as much attention to me at the same time."

I never knew Malfoy spent so much time trying to bother me. And he'd just admitted that the reason was just for some attention! I'd also never considered how long it took for Malfoy to make the badges, I just knew he did it because he hated me. I'm realising that our whole rivalry was really silly. It just got sillier as the years went on and we became more pubescent insecure messes. It was so stupid and childish looking back on it, but at the time, it was the worst. So I said as much.

"If it's any condolence, it was really annoying for me at the time. Really drove it in that Potter Stinks. I did like the support for Cedric though," he smiled at me halfheartedly. "You were a pretty great arch rival though. A good distraction from everything that was going on. And you put in so much effort to continue our rival, it just convinced me that it was more real. It helped me get my anger out, because I could pin it all on you and your stupid glittery blonde hair." He rolled his eyes and snickered.

"Better than your mop, Potter. At least my 'glittery blonde hair' was clean."

"Malfoy, if your hair were to be set on fire, it wouldn't even hurt. It would just burn like a candle because of all that hair product."

"Want to know why I had all that hair product in for the first three years?" He asked me conspiratorially.

"So you could be an emergency light source?"

He rolled his eyes all the way back.

"I had EXTREMELY curly hair. I had ringlets and curls and it made me look like a doll. A girl doll." At the sudden image of Malfoy with curly hair, I couldn't have stopped myself from bursting out laughing even if I wanted to. He grinned at me. "I know! It was the curliest and frizziest thing when I was younger. Then when I turned nine, Lucius told me I looked too feminine to be his son, so I started wearing product in it. But since my hair was so curly, it took practically half a jar of hair gel each time, so I had to buy it in bulk. When I reached Fourth year I managed to learn a straightening charm that could hold for twelve hours at a time. After a couple years it just kind of became permanent. I haven't had curly hair in almost a decade." He tugged down a lock of his dyed black hair with a wistful smile. He then turned back in front of us. 

"Oh look, we're here!"

I looked at the door of Dervish and Bagnes as Malfoy entered. It looked cozy.

I walked through the door and a little bell jingled above me. I looked around the shop to take the small space in.

The first thing you see when you walk in is a desk where a young witch sat, looking at her nails. The sign above her had written 'I Repair Equipment". Further on, there was a wall filled with a million magic items that I couldn't even begin to decipher. One looked like a flute...kind of? With multiple little bird cages on top of it? I saw a piano that was strapped to the ceiling and walked under it uneasily. Everything was haphazardly thrown around with no rhyme or reason. I like it. There was a wall dedicated to things like Sneakoscopes and Remembralls, and other little do-hickeys that I didn't even bother with. Despite the haphazard organisation system of shelves and items everywhere, Malfoy still managed to walk with grace and ease around the shop, knowing exactly where to go to get what he wanted, while I awkwardly tripped after him trying to avoid getting poked in the ribs by many miscellaneous items.

I saw him posed over a shelf of what looked like self care and cosmetic bottles and tools, a resigned yet analytical expression taking over his fake features. He began picking some items out, some which I recognised like a hairbrush and comb set, Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, a nail file, and a small bottle of Ursula's Facial Care. These were followed by more bottles which had weird and name based brands, such as April and May's Caring Conditioner; made for ragged locks and split ends! Cheryl Sheelar's Sherbert Scented Shampoo, Basil's Basic Bodywash and three different moisturizers, in the colours red yellow and blue. He tossed me some make up brushes and a couple of sets of eyeshadow thingymajigs and whatnot. I honestly never have a clue when it comes to anything at all makeup based. He also picked out a curling iron and a bottle of expensive perfume.

At my confused gaze, he explained "These are for Pansy!"

"And here I was thinking you were going to get dolled up just for me." I batted my eyelashes at him jokingly and he smirked.

"Careful what you wish for Potter, you probably won't be able to handle my full beauty." He posed with his hands above his head like a magazine cover and I started snickering. He turned back to the shelf and began rifling through a set of bottles.

"Perfect!" He held up a median sized purple tube with an indistinguishable label. He shoved it in my face and I read the label aloud.

"Casey Way's Curlifier 5002, the perfect way to regain your old curly hair. Simply apply straight to head and watch for instant results..." I looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "You're going to make your hair curly again?" He nodded while grinning.

"Our talk had me thinking, it was never my choice to straighten and manage my hair, It was always Lucius. So I figured, why not? I still know the straightening charm if it goes wrong, and I kind of miss having curly hair. It was fun to style and play with. And it'll probably look pretty cool with hair dye." I couldn't argue with that logic, so I shuffled my arms around and added it to the pile in my arms.

"Can we go pay now, my arms are tired of being your personal shopping bag and holding all of this up," I nodded to my arms packed full of stuff. He nodded and grabbed my arm once again to lead me to the counter, nearly causing me to drop everything. 

After we'd paid and put all the equipment in a new bag, we headed out the shop, and I waved to the bored looking repair girl who barely looked up from her nails.

"So Potter, back to the castle it is? I expect Granger and the Weasel will be missing their little Golden boy."

"I highly doubt it. They've been apart all summer, so they're probably shagging like bunnies."

Malfoy grimaced and gagged. "Ugh, never needed that mental picture Potter, I really, truly, didn't." I laughed at his discomfort.

"I can't even be disgusted at this point, I'm just relieved. They've been dancing around each other for years and I'm the unlucky sod who's had to put up with all their denial and bickering."

"I see your point, but what I don't get is how someone like Weaselby managed to snag someone like Granger. I just doesn't make sense." I looked at him questioningly, offended on Ron's behalf, but curious on Hermione's.

"What do you mean by that?" 

"I mean how did someone so crude and jealous as Weasel manage to seduce someone as intelligent and as pretty as Granger. He makes her know-it-all attitude look worthy of being a 10 when compared to him. How'd he do it?" I was surprised at his offhanded compliments for Hermione, even though they were veiled in other insults.

I thought about their chemistry a little bit, how their relationship worked.

"I think...I think it's because what Ron lacks, like a bit of intelligence and understanding, Hermione makes up for. And vice versa in the sense that Ron can relax and understands friends and family . How he's a pureblood who knows all about the Wizarding World, and Hermione's muggle born who knows about the muggle world, they each help each other understand. They're so different, but they share enough similarities to get on and be friends, and then date. They bicker and quarrel but it's how they love each other. They help each other's confidence, they've been through a war together, and after surviving and fighting and getting through the grief, they still want to be together!" I cut myself off before I carried on rambling. Malfoy seemed to be lost in thought on this. 

"So, they compliment each other while still being able to foil each other?" He queried. I thought about it for another second.

"In a concise way, yeah pretty much. I'm not very good at knowing about romance and stuff like that." I shrugged. "But it's be kind of nice to date someone who's your foil yet compliments you at the same time, you know? A whole Yin and Yang type of deal."

"A what type of deal?"

"A Yin and Yang. It's Chinese mythology, about opposites needing each other. Like the light and dark. Good and Evil. Hot and cold, yes and no, in and out, up and down. Yin and Yang. They are all opposites but need the other one to exist." Malfoy nodded at my brief description that I'm sure I fucked at least a little bit. I'd only learned about it for a lesson in primary school for Religious Studies and I couldn't recall a whole lot. He still looked like he managed to get the gist of it.

" I kind of like the idea of dating someone who's your opposite but understands you. It would at least give you some interesting conversations." I nodded along.  
We walked the rest of the way back to Hogwarts silently, lost in our thoughts. It was a comfortable quiet, on that I sank into until my thoughts turned static. It was rare that I'd get a chance to shut off my brain, so I wasn't going to pass it up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading this, I'm sorry for the wait that happened, I am writing the next chapter as I post this and it should be out within the next two days. Comment if you have any ideas or mini headcanons or meme conversations you'd like me to add as this is pretty chill fic with an open plot to those.  
> Until next time, leave a kudo and a comment and keep strong in quarantine amigos!


	7. Sipping Tea By the Fire is Swell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco go back to the common room and discuss things with Luna

When we got back to the castle, Malfoy said it was 4 o'clock. We'd been out for over five hours. We walked through the castle to the Eighth year dorms, looking forward to when I could finally put down all this luggage and rest my poor noodle arms. We made it into the common room and I collapsed onto a sofa, finally letting the bags drop to the floor. Malfoy collapsed beside me, the fatigue catching up with him as he let his bags drop down in a pile.

"Ugh, why is it so cold," he whined pathetically. I poked him with my foot from the other side of the sofa. 

"Set up the fireplace then. Or make some tea. Or boooooottthhhh." I whined back, burrying myself into the squishy sofa cushions. He sighed tiredly and reluctantly got up and shot a lazy "Incendio" towards the fireplace which cast the logs alight, and trudged into the kitchen to hopefully make me some tea.

”Hello Harry!" An airy and delighted voice greeted me from behind. I leaned back over the back of the sofa to see Luna smiling at me sweetly, knitting needles and wool in hand. 

"Hiya Luna, how are you?" I greeted in return, giving her a lazy grin.

"I'm doing great, thanks. I've just been in Neville's room learning how to knit." She held up her progress. It was...something for sure. It was an emerald green thing that could of resembled a hat? Maybe a beanie? A scarf? It was an attempt at least. 

"It's been going quite well so far, but knitting requires more outside perspective than my other art projects. I prefer to go with my gut but the wool demands a plan. Would you like my first beanie?" Ah, it was a beanie then. I nodded and she placed it on top of my head, giving me a gentle kiss to my cheek. She took Malfoy's previous place of the sofa and leaned her legs on my legs.

"I have to say, knitting is surprisingly exhausting. But I'd like to continue. Once I get better at it, I'll have to ask everyone what they'd like me to knit them for Christmas."

"Well in that case, I already got a great present" I grinned and pointed to the beanie, which even in it's deformed state, was very comfortable. She smiled gently in return.

"So Harry, what have you done today? Been shopping?" She gestured to the bags littered about.

"Yeah, Malfoy took one look at my wardrobe and took me shopping. I think he's trying to give me a full makeover, because he bought hair products and makeup as well." She tilted her head curiously.

"You and Draco, huh. I suppose it makes sense that he'd know about shopping and fashion. He's always been rather pretty, and so well dressed." At that point, Malfoy had returned from the kitchen with two mugs in hand. He had a bemused expression on his face, and it was then that I noticed he'd taken the glamour off. His hair was still dyed black though, starky contrasting his now paper white skin.

"Thanks Lovegood, I always appreciate a compliment. Would you care for some tea?" He handed me a mug of earl grey. I tasted it. A dash of milk and two and a half sugars. How did he know exactly how I like my tea? Legilimency? 

"We've been over this Draco, call me Luna. And if it isn't too much trouble, I'd love some." When had they 'been over this'? When had Luna talked to Malfoy? Were they friends?

"I already have some peppermint tea ready, it'll be no problem."

"Oooh, peppermint, my favourite. How did you remember?" She asked happily, popping her knitting needles into the loose bun atop her head.

"Because it is also my favourite. You're evil, you are, you've converted me from actual tea to fruity minty nonsense." He replied as he came back with another mug for Luna. He handed it to her, and at the realisation that she'd stolen his seat, sat on the carpet with his back to sofa, his mug held carefully with two hands.

"So, how was shopping Draco?"

"It was pretty good. Managed to get Potter a new wardrobe that isn't composed of disgusting tattered hand me downs. Would you like to help us burn them after tea?" She giggled.

"Sounds lovely."

"Oh, speaking of shopping, I got you something from Dervish and Banges," he rifled through one of the bags full of bottles and cosmetics. He pulled out a small pink plastic tube and handed it to Luna. "You were wanting to dye your hair, but your hair is already such a lovely blonde that I didn't want to risk anything with the unpredictable muggle stuff. So I got you a wizard one, with a twist. Gives it a bit more off an affect." He shrugged.

Luna smiled widely and tossed the bottle to me before trapping Malfoy in a big embrace. His face was awkwardly squished against her, uh, chest area, and the whole thing looked awkward because of the position difference of the sofa and floor. He looked like he didn't know what to do, so he set about giving her some dorky shoulder pats, a mug still precariously in one hand.

I looked at the bottle. The label said it was a bottle of Hair Magix's new line of colour change hair dye. According to the instructions, when applied it would sift through the colours red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple over and over again, changing every ten minutes. Malfoy had been released from Luna's death grip and was throwing a small fit over Luna's spilt tea on the carpet and sofa. He set about charming it clean and getting her a new mug full. 

When he returned I deemed it time ask a burning question that I'd been wondering about.

"So, when did you two become friends?" 

They both glanced at me, then at each other. It was Malfoy who began to speak.

"We first met at the Manor" He said, his face careful and closed off, though I could sense a slight defensive tremor in his voice. 

Oh. Right. I'd forgotten that Luna was held prisoner there.

"He was always kind to me. He brought us food and water, and managed to sneak down a couple blankets, even at the risk of torture. He'd keep me company, and was a great conversationalist. Good at listening. And talking." She trailed off quietly, looking into her mug. It was quiet for a couple of seconds before she shook her head. "We met properly at Hogwarts after the battle, when McGonagall was deciding on his parole. He cleaned at Hogwarts with me for a little while, and we became friends. I was allowed to take him out sometimes when he was living in the muggle world. He had to be with someone at all times when he went out, so he chose me to keep watch."

"We stretched the rules of my parole and having to be back at the flat with Mark by sundown. So Luna here, the little rebel, decided to Apparate to this place called 'Densey Land Paris' for the day. I think it's a 'theme park', and has a lot of 'rolling coasters'. I don't know what those have to do with coasters, but the smaller ones are quite fun."

"You took Malfoy to Disney Land?!" I asked her incredulously.

"Yep, you should of seen it. Like a child in a sweet shop. Gawking at everything. He particularly liked the castle, and kept wanting me to apparate us inside it, but it was out of bounds. He didn't really understand any of the references, because he hasn't seen any of the films, but liked the music playing everywhere."

"You still haven't explained this to me, what is a film?" Malfoy asked confusedly, gathering our empty mugs to put in the kitchen sink.

"We'll watch one soon, I promise," she turned to me with a grin. "There were a lot of staff dressed up costumes, to play the characters, and whenever any of the staff who weren't dressed as Princesses came up to us, Draco would shriek loudly and back away." Me and Luna started giggling as Malfoy scowled.

"They looked creepy. The faces wouldn't stop smiling. I was just trying to eat and this man in Shoulder pads came up to and tried to chat. It was weird and he wouldn't leave me alone. Luna didn't help!" He narrowed his eyes at her. "She was just watching with a smile on her face. She tried to give him my number!" I glanced at Luna and she shrugged with a smug little smile. 

"The man in the costume was trying to flirt with Draco and he was being oblivious." At this Malfoy started spluttering.

"NO HE WASN'T! He wasn't...he wasn't flirting with me! He was being annoying. An annoying git. He wouldn't stop talking to me and kept trying to reccomend food when I was already eating something. He tried to ask about the rides we'd been on and he wouldn't leave us alone!"

"Because he thought you were playing hard to get!"

"Well I wasn't! Why'd he even think I was gay anyway?" At a smirk from Luna, he furrowed his brow at her. "Don't answer that. Point is, he was being as annoying as you, Potter." Luna sat there with an amused smile on her face.

"Yes, well, Disney employees flirting with Draco aside, it really was a nice day out. Draco really passed for a muggle. We didn't get to see the fireworks they said would be there, because we had to be back by sundown, but I promised we would let some go this year, maybe Christmas." I grinned at her.

"That sounds nice. Maybe an Eighth and Seventh year bonfire on the grounds."

"Yeah."

We fell into an easy silence. Luna took her knitting needles out of her bun and set about making something new, maybe another beanie? Malfoy turned towards the fireplace and began shooting colour charms at it, getting use out of his wand again. The charms grew more complex, only making one side of the fireplace one colour, letting the colour spread along it slowly, or cycling through a set of colours, like Luna's hair dye would supposedly do. He filled the fire with stripes and dots of colour, changing the logs and the flames, sdding shapes for the fire to take. 

So we fell into an easy quiet, the soft clacking of knitting needles and the gentle crackles of the colourful fireplace filling the air. It was peaceful. I felt calm. Relaxed. Easy.

I felt good.

And not ten seconds after I thought this, Ron came bursting in through the common room doors with Hermione on his arm.

He looked at the docile scene before him with a befuddled expression on his face. Hermione swiftly slipped her arm out the crook of his elbow and came over towards the sofa.

"Oh Harry, we've been looking for you! I told you that you should invest in a phone you know. It would be so much easier and less flashy than sending around Patronuses, and would take less power. They can be used in the muggle world inconspicuously, and would integrate more advanced technology into Wizard society. I mean, I love the Wizarding World, but it does lay the aesthetic on a bit thick, don't you think? Practicality is key for moving forward, so no wonder Wizarding Britain lacks so much of it..." She carried on discussing with me about integrating technology and blah blah blah. I say discuss, but it was a sure fire one sided Hermione information blather if I'd ever heard one. And I had. Multiple times. At this point my brain had switched off quite a bit so I couldn't find it in me to tune in a whole lot.

Ron was looking at Hermione with a bit of lovesick amusement, but kept on glancing to where me and Malfoy were sat. Malfoy had sat up a bit stiffer against the sofa and had tuned in slightly to Hermione's rant. I could practically see the cogs turning in his head, absorbing the knowledge as if studying for a test. 

"What's S.P.E.W?" He asked suddenly. Ah. Damn it. Hermione must be trying to start it up again. She grinned hesitantly at Malfoy's question, glad that someone had asked so she could further explain house elf rights, but wary of that someone being Malfoy.

"S.P.E.W is an organistaion I started in Fourth year advocating for house elf rights. It stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."

"And what does spew intend to do?"

"It's S.P.E.W, and as a society we intend to abolish all house elf slavery being used by freeing elves from their masters and allowing them to live their lives properly, without waiting on hand and foot for someone." She smiled proudly.

"Yeah, that's not going to work." I stared at Malfoy aghast. What had he done?! Hermione's face pinched slightly in anger.

"And why ever not?!"

"Because you're going about it all wrong. I was raised in a household filled with house elves of all kinds, and I've seen some stuff. From what I've seen and heard, many of them enjoy serving Wizards. It's what gives them meaning. Occasionally a house elf may wish to be freed, but that is a rare occurrence. They've been trained to see someone freeing them as a punishment. Like being fired from a job. Have you ever witnessed how mcuh they punish themselves when they think they disappointed you in someway? For being a 'bad house elf'." Hermione was now watching Malfoy explain curiously, anger diminishing the more he talked, brow furrowed.

"I appreciate your intentions Granger, but you're going to have to go further than giving an odd house elf a sock to make a difference."

"And I intend to! Once I leave Hogwarts I plan to go right to the Ministry and demand to speak to whoever's in charge of Magical Creature Welfare!"

"That won't work either. Fudge might be gone, but that doesn't mean idiots don't still work at the Ministry. To make the change you're looking for, you'd have to change it from the inside. Work your way up from inside the Ministry, and take apart the house elf laws from there. That way, not only would your say need to be heard, but you could have control to change other Creature's lives for the better, such as half breeds and Werewolves, You'd need a respected investor to back up your changes, and to at least have a friendly acquaintance on the Wizengamot, or become a part of it." He paused. "I mean, that's the law abiding way.

"If you aren't wanting to put in that much time and effort, then I would suggest a small File Department heist. This would include changing the laws from the very inside. It would be done by stealing a key from a lower class worker of the Ministry who's in Silver Law Paperwork, breaking through the advanced safety wards with a tiny bit of dark magic, using Sinseng worms to rid the House Elf Silver Law of whatever you don't like on it (by eating the strong magic trace), and using a quill to simply fill in the blanks with whatever you prefer."

There was an awkward silence after Malfoy had finished explaining his non law abiding scheme to Hermione. We were all staring at him with a mixture of wonder, confusion, and fear. He finally noticed our expressions and shrugged.

"How do you know how to do that?"

"Since I was seven Mother wanted me to learn about the inner workings of the ministry so I'd know how to get the best jobs. Father taught me how to infiltrate the archives to rise to power quicker and/or change any laws for the Malfoy's benefit. He wasn't just a good politician, he also knew people who could make things happen." He shrugged again.

"Yeah, people like Voldemort," Ron spat out. Both Hermione and Malfoy gave him a glare, Malfoy with a bit more venom. He turned back to Hermione.

"Thought I'd tell you how to do it, it's not as if you Gryffindors would use it for evil."

"Thanks, but I think I'll go with the legal way. But if it doesn't work out, I'll keep it in mind." They smiled at each other uncertaintly. I was only happy someone had reeled in S.P.E.W a bit. "You seem quite knowledgable about the Ministry and it's inner workings, do you mind explaining that to me tomorrow in a bit more detail. I'd ask Ron but he doesn't really like...politics." From the expression on Ron's face you would have thought he'd be more than happy to teach Hermione about the politics he didn't know. 

"Sure, no problem. I am going to be quite busy though, I am taking every subject possible this year, with some extra activities, such as McGonagall's Animagus course." Hermione's eyes lit up.

"So am I! I can't wait for the first lesson, though I'm not looking forward to keeping a mandrake leaf in my mouth for an entire month." She grimaced.

"Or drinking that potion! I heard it tastes disgusting!" He shivered in disgust. They grinned at each other in a shared understanding of intelligence and I could just tell this wasn't going to bode well for me nor Ron. Nor anyone else for that matter.

I was beginning to fear their shared intelligence and cunning, and I could tell that Ron felt the same way as he hastily changed the subject.

"So, Harry, what were you doing today?" Oh crap.

"I uh, I um, went shopping." Ron looked at me questioningly.

"Really? Why’d you do that?" I saw Malfoy open his mouth to sarcastically reply but I shot him a glance that said 'please don't'. He thankfully understood and closed his mouth back up.

"I decided that I needed a new wardrobe. You know, stuff that isn't just Dudley's hand me downs. Especially since we're not going to wear uniform anymore." Ron nodded along and started making grabby hands towards the bags.

"Wotcha got in here then?" He started rifling through.

Hermione gave him a look.

"Honestly Ronald, you don't just start going through people's things, you have to ask first! Otherwise it's very rude!" He ignored her in favour of carrying on nosing through my stuff. I guess when you have a lot of siblings, privacy isn't really a thing.

"An awful lot of green in here. What are you, a Slytherin?" He joked, lifting up a green shirt, hoodie and pair of jeans. I laughed awkwardly, making grabby hands back to get my clothing away from any more scrutiny. But that doesn't stop him from going to the other bag from Dervish and Banges. Before I could stop him, he'd picked out the bottle of Cheryl Sheelar's Sherbert Scented Shampoo. He was looking at it with a sort of confused horror. He turned it to me and asked "What the fuck is this then?" 

I floundered at the question and just tried shrugging weakly. 

"You've never cared about your hair before mate, and then you've gone and bought a girl's shampoo? Are you a poofter or something?" Before I could defend myself, Malfoy has swooped in and snatched the bottle from Ron's hands. He took the bag away from Ron, but the bottle back in and tossed it behind him, where it landed right side up beside the armchair. He bent down to eye level where Ron was sitting, a somehow calm yet angry look on his face, an expression that made everyone feel off put and uneasy.

"For your information, Weasel, I bought that for him. I bought all his stuff because we went shopping together today. And I did that, not for an evil plot, but so that Potter can feel good about the way he looks. So we bought clothes and hair products to tame that mane of his and it was all bloody fine and dandy. So forgive me Weasel, I must have missed something, you see, because I cannot for the life of me comprehend how that makes your best gay." He said this all in a monotone yet condescending voice, staring Ron in the eye the whole time. Ron's eyes had begun to shift away from looking Malfoy in the eye, but Malfoy was persistent. 

"Go on Weasel, tell us all how that makes Potter a poof, because now I'm very fucking curious you see." His voice took on a dangerous tilt. Ron's eyes flared up.  
"Hold on, why did you go shopping with Harry?! Why would you buy clothes and hair stuff for him? Do you feel guilty or something? Or is that part of your parole as a death eater?" Malfoy's eyes turned dangerous and I shifted away imperceptibly, slowly getting out of reach of where his clenched fists might go flying.

"Were you even listening you halfwit buffoon? I said I did it out of the bloody goodness of my heart. We're sharing a room and we have a fucking truce, you blithering ginger! So I did it to be fucking nice, not to have some lowlife scum start accusing of having ulterior motives because of their idiotic one dimensional perception of who I am as a damn person! I'm trying to be good, to be better, to make up for my mistakes, but that does not entail buying clothes for Potter! Me being nice, is deciding not to punch you in your fat nose for your homophobic idiocy!" He shouted at Ron, his composure lost as Ron had started leaning back away from the flying insults.

Luna had been knitting this whole time, but when Malfoy stopped yelling she grabbed his arm and gently coaxed him back onto the sofa. When he sat down she rubbed his arm comfortingly. For the first time since lunch, I saw Virgo again, slithering out of the wand holster to wind round Malfoy's arm, in a similar gesture to Luna. 

Hermione had been quiet during his outburst, and after Malfoy had his say was the first one to talk.

"Are we done? Are we done with the insults and idiocy? Don't look smug Ron, that was aimed at you." Ron's small smile dropped. Malfoy regained his perfect composure and gave a small nod , focusing his gaze instead on Virgo. "Great. Now that we're done with the yelling, how about Harry model some of his new clothes for us?" I looked at her weirdly. She grinned back. "I for one, would love to see how Harry looks in muggle clothes that actually fit." 

"Ooh yes, like a fashion show! Show us what you have Harry!" Luna joined in excitedly. I sighed long and hard at the knowledge that there's no way I'd be able to get out of it now. 

"Okay then, fine. What should I try on first?"

So that was how I spent my evening. Modelling my many items and clothing pieces for Luna and Hermione. Well, when the other option was getting in between Malfoy and Ron's stubbornness and bringing up our various issues, I was more than happy to go with the safer and less emotionally draining option.  
Even if it meant dancing about in new jeans for Hermione and Luna to catcall at.

\--------------------------------------------

By the time I was done with my brief modelling career, it was 7 o'clock. I'd just finished changing back into my original clothes, and had walked back down the stairs into the common room. Ron was in one of the armchairs, with Hermione of his lap, weaving her fingers through his hair gently, both of them gently dozing.

On the sofa, Luna looked like she was nearly done with a red beanie, slightly less deformed than mine. And Malfoy...I think he was asleep on Luna's shoulder, with Virgo hissing quietly on the top of his head. I went to sit next to the sleeping boy, and ever so carefully removed Virgo's coiled state from atop his head. She focused her unblinking beady eyes on me and curled up my hand to my forearm, where she rested like her owner. I looked over to Malfoy and Luna, and saw that Luna was struggling to lift her arm to knit because of his sleeping form leaning on top of her. 

So, with a complete lack of care, she shoved him off her with her elbow. Which he then fell in the other direction. Onto me. Damn.  
My shoulders immediately flinched up at the contact. Mr It's-Only-7-But-I'm-Still-Going-To-Sleep didn't care, and instead chose snuggle his face into one of my raised shoulders. I heard Luna snicker at this, to which I glared in response. I could feel my cheeks growing hotter as I looked down at Malfoy's peaceful face. It was odd to say the least.

I'd never seen him without walls up. His face usually seemed so neutral and impassive, his most popular expression a sneer. As he slept, I can't say he looked completely at ease, but his features were more expressive than when he was awake. He had a slight scowl on his face, a little pout with his bottom lip protruding outward, his brows furrowed ever so slightly. It was kind of...cute? In the way that a puppy dog is cute or something, not attractive cute. If that. He wasn't anywhere close to puppy dog cute. More...dainty. Yeah, dainty. He had very small dainty features. 

I looked away from Malfoy's face at the realisation that I'd probably been staring at it for the past couple of minutes. I instead focused on the fire infront of me. The room had regained it's previous peacefulness. The quiet warm comfort. It was like the Gryffindor common room, just less red. It was a bit better. Red can get really old sometimes. I still like it, but the theme was a bit much. Here the colours are a bit more subtle mixed with blue, and gold...silver and black...yellow...and bronze...green...

\-------------------------------------------- 

"po--er...Pot--r...Potter.......POTTER!" A voice snapped at me. 

I jumped slightly on the...sofa? Yeah the sofa. The sofa was comfortable...

"Potter, get up or I'm locking you out of our dorm!" I opened my eyes again to Malfoy's face right up in my mine. A shock to say the least.

"Gahh!" I fell off the sofa, taking a couple of cushions with me. From the carpet I could see Malfoy looking down at me with a smirk. I scowled. 

"Get up Potter, I want to get into my bed. I'm tired." He ordered, offering me a hand. I took it hesitantly and he dragged me off my arse. He picked up the bags from Dervish and Banges, the bags from Gladrags already being upstairs from my modelling. I lumbered up the stairs tiredly, Malfoy following me to our dorm. I got one of the keys to open it when I thought of something.

"Hey, why do they bother with key locks when we can all just Alohomora it open?" He considered this a moment. 

"I don't know, the principle I guess?" Letting people know that it might be locked for a reason because they get their wands out? No clue." I nodded and with a click, opened up the door. Malfoy went straight into the bathroom to stock up all the bottles and I promptly collapsed onto my bed, not even bothering with my clothes. 

"Really Potter? Not even going to properly put your new clothes away? Or change clothes?" Malfoy started whining. I made an incomprehensible noise into my pillow, which roughly meant in my head "fuck off". He sighed and I could hear some mutterings of what sounded like, "Vestitulo, Vestitulo, Vestitulo," and I could hear my drawers opening and closing. 

I heard him changing into pajamas and the soft "Nox" that followed. I flipped over to lie on my back and looked up at the ceiling. The stars glowed a soft blue, filling the room with a light less harsher. 

Today was the most normal day I'd had. I didn't have to deal with Aunt Petunia, or Vernon and Dudley. And I didn't have to focus on practising my magic for some sort of competition or villain. I went shopping for clothes, and came back and spent time with my friends, then fell asleep on the sofa. Tomorrow classes were going to start.

So I slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading this! Comment if you have any ideas or mini headcanons or meme conversations you'd like me to add as this is pretty chill fic with an open plot to those.  
> Until next time, leave a kudo and a comment and keep strong in quarantine amigos!


	8. Pansy and Popty Pings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People are getting ready for the first day of school. Not a lot happens, just messing about and the characters existing.

I woke up fully clothed. Nice. 

I tumbled out of bed and onto the floor blindly, the sun streaming through the window not helping one bit. From the carpet I grasped at my dresser, squinting angrily when I couldn't locate my glasses. I heard a soft snort from across the room. 

"Looking for these Potter?" Malfoy's voice rang out. I could see the blurry figure of who I assumed was him get up from his bed and walk over to me.

"I honestly have no clue what "these" are, Malfoy. I'm rather blind, you see, so if you could tell me what you probably stole from me that would be appreciated." I could practically hear his smirk. I tried to glare at the blurry figure but it probably came out as an angry squint in his direction. 

The blurry figure came closer and put what I assumed were my glasses in my clammy hands. I shoved them on my face to then glare at the smirking face of Draco bloody Malfoy. He was already dressed and had washed out the black hair dye, his hair back to his 'natural' platinum blonde. 

"Thanks for the great wake up, Malfoy. Really appreciate being blind." I said sarcastically, getting up off the floor. 

"Yeah, I appreciate it too. Makes for great comedy." I scowled. "You really should get some new glasses, those ones are rather hideous. Though I suppose they match the owner." My scowl deepened.

"Jesus, are you on your period or is your bitch dial just turned up in the mornings?" 

He cocked his head confusedly.

"What's a Jesus?"

"It's a muggle thing. Kind of like when you say 'Merlin'."

"Weird."

I grab a handful of new clothes from my closet and marched into the bathroom to take a shower. 

After getting undressed I looked through the newly bought bottles for Cheryl Sheelar's Sherbert Scented Shampoo and A & M's Caring Conditioner. I'd never really bothered with many products other than a bit of soap. The Dursley's never let me use more than a bar of cheap soap and two minutes of cold water, so it was all new territory. 

After using the hair care, bodywash and what must have been far too much warm water, I stepped out of the shower. I wiped at the fogged up mirror to look at my reflection. My hair was still wet, so I couldn't really see any of the results. I looked down at the pile of clothes I dropped on the floor.

I'd picked out a green T-shirt, a maroon hoodie, an average pair of blue jeans and a pair of blue trainers. All brand new. All mine. 

After I put on all my clothes, I looked back into the foggy mirror. Wow. Huh? Um...

Everything looked like it fit. Fit for me. And all of it did. And it wasn't Dudley's. It wasn't school robes that were bought to be a bit bigger to fit for longer. All of it was bought specially to fit me. To make me look good. And I kind of did. As good as I did at the Yule Ball, probably better because I wasn't preparing to dance in front of the whole school with a ridiculous lack of a haircut.

I quickly brushed my teeth and then picked up a hairdryer. I kept it at arms length and fiddled with the buttons on it, trying to figure out what to do. It suddenly roared to life in my hands and I dropped it in a panic with a yelp. Onto my foot. 

"Agh, fucking hell! Shit!" I hopped up on one foot. That fucking hurt! I picked it up again, still keeping it at arms length. It was still blowing air furiously. I fiddled with the buttons again until I fixed it to a setting I was okay with. I held it steadily with two hands. To be safe. 

After I'd dried my hair sufficiently enough, I picked up a blue hairbrush. How do I...? No, no, I knew how to do this. I'd watched enough people do it. You just kind of put the bristles through your hair? Yeah. And then it turns smooth. 

While looking into the mirror I brought the brush to my hair and dragged it down. Agh!

"Fucking hell, why is everything out to get me?" I hissed under my breath, followed by a couple more swears. I looked into the mirror. Yeowch. I'd managed to uncover a huge knot at the front of my fringe. I sighed. This is going to take a while. 

\--------------------------------------------

It took longer.

After I was done battling with my locks, and after multiple instances of having to lather generous amounts of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion onto a section of my hair before brushing, I could finally see the final product. 

Jeez!

Uh...

Okay then. 

I picked up a lock of my hair to check if it would reflect in the mirror. It did. So that's my hair? 

It looked so different. It was neat. Neat and tidy. Clean. No longer knotted. 

...

I don't like it. 

It doesn't look like me!

I angled my head round, eyes fixed on my reflection. This is so strange. It looks like I'm wearing a wig. Or I'm no longer wearing a wig. My hair doesn't look like it belongs to me. When it looked like a bird's nest, at least it was lively! Now it's bland. 

I titled my head to the side. With this hair I kind of look like how Malfoy did yesterday. 

I grimaced. 

Well, it wouldn't be that bad to look like Malfoy. He's a sort of attractive bloke. In a pretty sort of way.

A loud shriek of laughter from outside the bathroom interrupted my musings. 

I opened the en suite door to walk out and see Pansy Parkinson dying of laughter on my bed. 

"Uh, what are you doing in here?" I asked her. She waved me away in favour of gasping for air. Her cackles were interrupted by a low groan coming from Malfoy's closet. 

"Pansy, stop laughing, it's not that funny." Malfoy's voice whined from the wardrobe. Pansy responded with bursting into cackles most befitting for a witch.  
"What's going on in here?" Pansy faced me, her face flushed pink from breathlessness. She calmed herself quickly, using a hand in front of her face, which she dragged down to drain her face of emotion. It looked like a well practiced tactic to look neutral, and was creepily effective.

"My darling Drakey here-"

"Don't call me that!" An indignant shout came from the closet.

"Hush now, your most attractive friend is telling a story. Anyway, our darling Drakey has decided to make the hilarious mistake to curlify his hair again."

"Look, Pansy, I didn't know it would turn out like this! I didn't remember my hair being like this!"

"Drakey, I distinctly remember it looking exactly like that. When we were younger it was the second worst hair next to Goyle's."

"What did Greg have again?"

"A very determined bowl-cut."

"Ha! Remind me to thank Mrs Goyle for that one."

Pansy continued to talk to the closet until I stepped in.

"Why is Malfoy in his closet?"

Pansy snickered. "It looked so bad that he's decided to quit Hogwarts and continue life as a designer handbag."

"I'll have you know it's a very prestigious career!" The closet yelled back.

"Now now Drakey-poo, come out of the closet."

"I already did in Fourth year, what more do you want?"

Pansy snickered again. "You didn't need to, I could already tell by the way you gazed at-"

"SHUT UP! Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up you drunken bint, before I steal your implants and give them to that Seventh year creep, Charlie Rattigan."

"They're not implants you rotten bitch! Ask Blaise!"

"I wouldn't even need to ask Blaise, I can just ask any Slytherin boy and they'll know."

"That's it! Hey Potter, From Second year to Fifth year, Draco had a crush o-" Her weasling was interrupted by a flying blonde tackling her to the floor. She was pushed down with a loud shriek, her arms desperately trying to get her attacker off of her. It was then that I could finally see Malfoy's new hair.

Oh. 

Wow.

He was right about the curliness. And the ringlets. And, uh, the frizziness. It was a mess. A curly frizzy bushy blonde mess. It wasn't quite an afro, but it was close. The sheer volume was kind of amazing actually. Was it just really spread out now, or was it really concentrated before? It was hard to tell, especially with the way it was bouncy about as Pansy and Malfoy had a cat fight. 

"Drakey get off me now you rotten brat! You afro wearing fashion disaster! You angsty little toad face! You spoiled little inbred daddy's boy!" At that Malfoy jumped off her as if burned. Pansy's eyes widened in panic. "I'm sorry I didn't mean that!" She rushed out quickly. Malfoy nodded in forgiveness. He then turned to face me. 

And uh, wow. Wow again. This is, um. Yeah...

I could feel my face turn a bit red but I couldn't stop myself from staring. From this angle his hair framed his face in natural ringlets, making his face seem impossibly paler. The rest surrounded his head in a sort of halo, twisted and turned in a fashion that looked purposeful, yet accidental. He had no hair parting, it simply defied gravity around him, much alike Hermione's but far more different. It was a curly and frizzy mess of a hairstyle. 

I liked it way too much. 

After realising that I'd been staring I awkwardly cleared my throat and averted my eyes. What the hell was that about?

"It looks okay, I think. Looks fine. Weird because, you know, it's usually super neat and combed through and covered in gel or whatever, but it's different. A good different! But still, you know, different..." I started rambling. His face took on a faint pink flush high on his cheekbones, making him look sort of kind of angelic. In a way. Because of the halo hair! Obviously.

"Uh, thanks Potter. I have to say I like your hair as well. It's also a welcome change from the usual birds nest. Very neat and tidy. I guess we've swapped looks, huh?" He gave me a half smile. 

And then we were just kind of staring at each other. 

"Hellooooooo? Am I going to walk you to class or should I leave you two to it." Pansy broke the silence. Malfoy was first to back out of our weird staring competition to smack the giggling witch on the arm.

"Whatever Pansy, let's get Blaise and go to breakfast. We have yet another new teacher. Let's see if she's any better than the other ones."

"Can't be worse than Umbridge."

"That isn't a high bar we're setting."

They left the room deep in conversation, leaving me to pack my school bag alone. I grabbed an inkwell and a quill, some parchment, and the textbooks for the classes I would have that day, before double checking my schedule. DADA for the first two lessons. 

I swung my satchel around my shoulders and headed out, locking the door behind me. 

\--------------------------------------------

Once I made it into the Great Hall I nearly made my way over to the Gryffindor table, before remembering the new Eighth year table. I walked over to it and scanned it for anyone to sit next to. I could see Seamus and Dean, wo were thankfully not being too lovey dovey, Seamus nearly falling asleep on Dean's lap, so I deemed it un-romantic enough not to be a third wheel. Once I sat down next to Dean, he turned to greet me. 

He gasped. 

Then he started laughing. 

"What did you do to your hair? It looks crazy! This must be the first time I'm seeing your with orderly hair! How long did it take to train that mop?" He exclaimed loudly, drawing attention from the other people scattered about the table. I put my head in my hands and thumped onto the wooden table with a thud.

Unfortunately this loud exclamation also woke up Seamus.

"Holy Hell 'Arry, where's your bird's nest gone?! Are you wearin' a wig?" This caused Dean to laugh harder. I thumped my head on the table again.

"Please shut up."

"Is that really real, or are you pulling my leg?" At this rate I was going to get a concussion. 

"I just brushed it guys, seriously," I mumbled into the table. I heard a clink in front of me and raised my head to see a balanced breakfast stacked on a plate, courtesy of Dean. God bless dad friends. I started tucking in.

After about five minutes of delicious food, I heard some shuffling chairs to the side of me. I looked over and saw Luna and Neville sitting by me, Luna being the closest. 

"Aren't you supposed to be at the Ravenclaw table?" I asked her. She smiled.

"Rules are overrated. I prefer to spend time with you guys, so I will." She replied simply, sitting down carefully, her large blue and white polka dotted skirt being smoothed down with small hands. She had her hair in a messy bun, two knitting needles sticking out of it. Her hair was currently light blue, so I guessed that she'd used the dye Malfoy had bought for her. It suited her. She had large earrings in, one earring being a very small spiral bound notepad, the other being a tiny quill. I absentmindedly wondered if the notebook and quill could be used. Who am I kidding, this is Luna, of course they are functional.

"Besides, the people at the Ravenclaw table aren't exactly being the kindest or the most investing with their conversations." She fiddled with her quill earring. At this, Neville narrowed his eyes.

"Has that creep Tom Vicars been harassing you again? I can take care of him if you'd like." Luna giggled at this.

"Thank you Neville, but I don't need saving. It's not a big deal anyway. I suspect his head being full of Popty-Pings, a close cousin to the Wrackspurts. It gives the afflicted an ego and makes them confused enough to suffer delusions for weeks at a time. I've tried recommending ways to get rid of them, eating plenty of salty food, keeping a daisy behind your ear to lure them out, holding the back of a teaspoon to your forehead for a couple of hours, and so on. Of course, you need to want them to leave, so I suppose the Popty-Pings will continue to fester until they've eaten all of his earwax. Once they do, they'll bite through his eardrum, leaving him deaf." Luna responded evenly, even happily. I made concerned eye contact with Neville, who shrugged and mouthed "search me".

With a little more unease, I went back to my breakfast.

After I'd finished, I waved goodbye to Luna, and decided to walk to DADA early with Neville. 

After many twists and turns around the castle, we'd reached the classroom. I sat down on a seat in the back and Neville sat next to me, tucked into the corner. Miss Lou Freebush hadn't noticed us walking in, and kept her back to us while scrawling on the chalkboard. 

I started unpacking my things onto the desk, letting the book fall onto the wood with a thud, alerting Miss Lou Freebush of our presence. She startled and turned around to face us, where we both gave her a tight lipped awkward smile.

Her smiled politely as Neville and then turned her eyes onto me. Her gaze was strong and piercing and made me want to shuffle in my skin. My lowered her eyelids and grinned predatorially.

"What a pleasure it is to see you Mr Potter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to have the classroom scene but I feel like I'v made you wait for long enough, I'm sorry for the infrequency when it comes to chapter updates, I am going to try harder. If you'd like me to add a minor headcanon or something like that then feel free to comment, this is a very relaxed fic. A comment and a kudo are always appreciated! Stay strong my amigos!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it and leave a comment and kudo if you did! I will try to update as often as possible, probably once a week or more depending on the circumstances. Thanks for reading!


End file.
